Fernando Previtali
Though he was a composer of some distinction, Fernando Previtali is best remembered as a brilliant conductor of the classic Italian operas, especially those of Verdi, and for his advocacy of contemporary orchestral music, particularly of works by Busoni, Ghedini, and Dallapiccola. But Previtali's tastes extended into the realm of mainstream instrumental music as well, taking in a vast range of works by Mozart, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and many others. His own musical compositions are virtually forgotten today, though some had attracted attention in their day, including the 1945 ballet Allucinazioni. Though Previtali has been dead for more than two decades, many of his recordings are still widely available on a range of labels, including RCA, Gala, Opera d'Oro, Fonit, and Urania.
Previtali was born in Adria, Italy, on February 16, 1907. At the Turin Conservatory he studied organ, cello (under Pietro Grossi) and composition (under Franco Alfano). He launched his career as a cellist, playing in the Turin-based Teatro Regio Orchestra.
In 1928 he relocated to Florence where he worked with conductor Vittorio Gui and became instrumental in the founding of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra. He was appointed deputy conductor of that ensemble and served in that capacity until 1936, the year he became resident conductor of the Rome Radio Symphony Orchestra. But for a year-long hiatus in 1944, he held the post at the RRSO until 1953. During his Rome years, Previtali premiered several important operas, including the 1939 Re Hassan by Ghedini and Dallapiccola's one-act masterpiece Volo di notte, from 1940.
Previtali accepted the appointment as conductor at the Academy of Santa Cecilia in 1953 and held the post seven years. During his tenure there, he made many successful European and American tours with the ensemble. From 1960-1967 he was principal conductor of the Buenos Aires Teatro Colon Orchestra.
Previtali served as principal conductor at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples starting in 1972. Throughout much of his career he held master classes in conducting, particularly at the Academy of Santa Cecilia and at La Scala. Most of his available recordings were made in the latter half of his career and include Verdi's Luisa Miller (with Carreras and Ricciarelli) on Opera d'Oro, Verdi's Il Trovatore (from 1957, with del Monaco and Gencer) on a Hardy Classics DVD, and the Mozart Piano Concertos No. 17 and No. 23, with Robert Casadesus on Archipel.
© TiVo
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An Operatic Recital By Flaviano Labo
Flaviano Labó, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Fernando Previtali
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Il Trovatore
Opera - Released by Myto Historical on Nov 25, 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Turandot (Intégrale)
Full Operas - Released by Myto Historical on Jan 27, 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rossini: Ouverture de Guillaume Tell - Dukas: L'apprenti sorcier - Verdi: Ouverture de La force du destin (Mono Version)
Orchestra Sinfonica della RAI di Roma, Fernando Previtali
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on Jan 1, 1955
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Cetra Solo Recordings & Selected Additional 78s
Carlo Zecchi, Arrigo Tassinari, Gioconda De Vito, EIAR Orchestra, Fernando Previtali
Classical - Released by APR on Jul 6, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cetra Verdi Collection: Nabucco
Opera - Released by WMI Italy on Jun 26, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cetra Verdi Collection: Don Carlo
Opera - Released by WMI Italy on Jan 1, 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Great Tenor Arias (Vol. II). Verdi, Puccini, Boito, Cilea... (Vol. 2)
Flaviano Labó, Giuseppe Campora, Gianni Poggi, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Fernando Previtali, Alberto Erede
Classical - Released by Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. on Feb 12, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Maria di Rohan
Full Operas - Released by Myto Historical on Oct 30, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ernani (Intégrale)
Full Operas - Released by Myto Historical on Feb 24, 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cetra Verdi Collection: Ernani
Opera - Released by WMI Italy on Jan 1, 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Puccini: Turandot (Remastered 2023) (Live)
Pedro Lavirgen, Antonietta Cannarile, Fernando Previtali, Amy Schuard
Opera - Released by HD Remastered on Dec 6, 2023
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi: Don Carlo, extraits (Mono Version)
Mirto Picchi, Ebe Stignani, Orchestra sinfonica dell'EIAR di Roma, Fernando Previtali
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on Jan 1, 1958
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
VERDI: IL TROVATORE
Classical - Released by Nar Classical on Jan 1, 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Puritani
Opera - Released by Myto Historical on Feb 1, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cetra Verdi Collection: La battaglia di Legnano
Opera - Released by WMI Italy on Mar 26, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cetra Verdi Collection: Il trovatore
Opera - Released by WMI Italy on Jan 1, 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Rossini - Guglielmo Tell
Giangiacomo Guelfi, Gianni Raimondi, Fernando Previtali, Orchestra Del Teatro Di San Carlo Di Napoli
Classical - Released by G.O.P. on Mar 31, 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Respighi: Feste romane & Fontane di Roma (Mono Version)
Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Fernando Previtali
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on Jan 1, 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo